It finally feels like hunting season

Ihave awaited these temperatures since the last time it was cold.

I believe the last dose of cold temperatures was in early February.

I know the end of February felt like early April and the turkeys were gobbling and chasing hens before the first week of March.

I have my new bow and have not even taken it out for its first hunt because it has been so hot.

I can't get into a hunting mindset when it is 90 degrees with a warm wind and mosquitoes swarming.

The deer are still covered in ticks and the risk of losing meat to the heat is too high.

We were finally blessed with a bit of rain this weekend followed by a plunge in temperatures.

The deer and other critters are happy with the weather change because animal activity has increased dramatically.

My trail camera pics doubled in the last few days because of the cooler weather.

I know the rain helped get the deer moving as well. I do not blame them for laying up and only moving at night.

I would do the same if I was sporting a fur coat.

I am excited with the muzzleloader deer season opening this weekend.

I always look forward to the smell of spent black powder.

It is my favorite aromatherapy!

Muzzleloader hunting has always given me a laundry list of memories and I always get to spend my birthday hunting with the ol' smoke pole.

I took my first deer with a muzzleloader when I was 10 years old.

I have taken many nice bucks with a muzzleloader before the woods were packed in November for modern gun.

I took my biggest buck with a muzzleloader when I was seven months pregnant with Cooper.

I took that nice 11-point buck on October 25th, 2011.

That was the day before my 24th birthday.

Muzzleloader season has always brought forth good memories and it still does.

I hope I get a chance to see a good deer this weekend.

Even if I don't, I'll still be content with just being in the woods.

Late October also means deer camp fellowship and deer chili time is here.

Nothing is better than having fun with friends and family on a cold evening over a pot of deer chili and funny hunting stories.

I spent last weekend getting all of my hunting gear out that I would need this weekend.

A couple of long sleeve shirts, my mid-weight pants, boot socks, orange vest and my lucky orange hat.

I have worn this hat every deer season since the day I killed my first deer.

The hat is about 35 years old.

It belonged to my pappaw and I wear it for muzzleloader and modern gun deer season.

It reads “Arkansas Sportsman” in arched letters over the shoulder mount pose of a whitetail buck.

It has a few old stains that pappaw put on it and it has a few that I got on it.

These consist of deer blood and black coffee along with the few times the hat wound up in the dirt.

I wash it every year but those stains still remain.

I figure it is fine that they remain and never come off.

Stains are like scars. They all tell a story. I hope I get a chance to tag a buck with my bow or my muzzleloader this weekend but if I don't, at least I will have fun trying.

Life is too short to sit at home worrying about things out of our control.

I encourage you to grab your spouse, round up the kids and even let the dogs come along and make a trip to a deer camp.

Trade your phone for a stick to roast a marshmallow and trade your TV for a campfire.

Take off those work clothes and grab jeans, a hoodie and boots.

Tomorrow is not guaranteed so make the most of today.

Getting to a spot with no cell phone service can give you a better connection to what matters most.

Pictures of a harvest? Questions? Comments? Send them to katiem@eldoradonews.com.